The Merchant of Venice: Act 3, Scene 4

LORENZO1Madam, although I speak it in your presence,
2You have a noble and a true conceit
3Of godlike amity; which appears most strongly
4In bearing thus the absence of your lord.
5But if you knew to whom you show this honor,
6How true a gentleman you send relief,
7How dear a lover of my lord your husband,
8I know you would be prouder of the work

14There must be needs a like proportion
15Of lineaments, of manners and of spirit;
16Which makes me think that this Antonio,
17Being the bosom lover of my lord,
18Must needs be like my lord. If it be so,
19How little is the cost I have bestow'd

20. the semblance of my soul:i.e., Antonio, so like my Bassanio.

20In purchasing the semblance of my soul
21From out the state of hellish misery!
22This comes too near the praising of myself;
23Therefore no more of it: hear other things.
24Lorenzo, I commit into your hands

25. husbandry and manage: care and management of the household.

25The husbandry and manage of my house
26Until my lord's return: for mine own part,
27I have toward heaven breathed a secret vow
28To live in prayer and contemplation,
29Only attended by Nerissa here,
30Until her husband and my lord's return:
31There is a monastery two miles off;
32And there will we abide. I do desire you

33. deny this imposition: refuse this charge imposed.

33Not to deny this imposition;
34The which my love and some necessity
35Now lays upon you.

LORENZO35 Madam, with all my heart;
36I shall obey you in all fair commands.

PORTIA37My people do already know my mind,
38And will acknowledge you and Jessica
39In place of Lord Bassanio and myself.
40And so farewell, till we shall meet again.

61That they shall think we are accomplished
62With that we lack. I'll hold thee any wager,
63When we are both accoutred like young men,
64I'll prove the prettier fellow of the two,
65And wear my dagger with the braver grace,
66And speak between the change of man and boy
67With a reed voice, and turn two mincing steps
68Into a manly stride, and speak of frays

PORTIA79Fie, what a question's that,
80If thou wert near a lewd interpreter!
81But come, I'll tell thee all my whole device
82When I am in my coach, which stays for us
83At the park gate; and therefore haste away,
84For we must measure twenty miles today.